1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to an improved device for handling flexible straps and, in particular, to an improved system and method for handling and manipulating flexible straps in a highly adjustable quiver-type apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Flexible straps or “zip ties” are useful for many different applications including quickly and easily securing objects to one another. Most flexible straps are formed from an inexpensive nylon plastic material as long, thin, flat straps. One end of the strap has a small buckle-type receiver for receiving an opposite flat tongue-like end of the strap. The strap forms a loop when the tongue is inserted into the buckle. One of the surfaces of the strap is provided with “teeth” that engage the buckle when inserted therein. The teeth permit the strap to proceed through the buckle in only one direction. The loop becomes smaller and, thus, tighter as the tongue is inserted further into the buckle, thereby binding together any objects located inside the loop. Typically, the loop must be cut or severed to remove the strap from the bound objects, which limits the strap to a single use.
Flexible straps are manufactured in many different sizes depending upon the application for which they are intended. For example, in the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry, flexible duct straps are used extensively in large numbers to install flexible air ductwork. Duct straps are usually provided in lengths of either 36 and 48 inches, and packaged in clear plastic bags in quantities of 50. In the prior art, ductwork installers either inefficiently hand-carry a few of the duct straps, or tape an entire bag to a ladder used in the installation process. Ladder-mounting the bags is also inefficient in that the installer must constantly go up and down the ladder to retrieve additional duct straps.
A third mode of transporting duct straps used by commercial installers is to insert the duct straps through the belt loops on the pants of the installer. Since the duct straps are flexible, they wrap around the waist of the installer and are loosely held in place by his or her belt loops. However, the belt loops provide very limited space for approximately 10 duct straps, thereby requiring the installers to almost constantly refill their belt loops.
Flexible straps are provided in many other sizes as well, including common lengths of 8 inches and 12 inches, for many industrial and commercial applications. Like the duct work installers, installers of these smaller flexible straps typically hand-carry a bag of the flexible straps. Alternatively, they may place them in a pants pocket or tool bag, or wrap and tighten one of the straps around the bundle of the other straps. With the latter handling mode, the one outer strap must be repeatedly re-tightened around the bundle of straps as the straps are used up. Although each of the strap handling modes is workable, an improved solution for handling flexible straps would be highly desirable over and more efficient than these prior art methods.